September 1, 2026 | 02:38 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - United States President Donald Trump has threatened further military action against Iran after the two countries exchanged fire for the first time in more than a month, escalating tensions over the Strait of Hormuz.
The latest confrontation began Sunday, August 30, when U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington said the launchers were being prepared to fire rockets carrying naval mines into the strategic waterway.
Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles at U.S. military facilities in Jordan and targeting U.S.-linked assets in the United Arab Emirates. Jordan said it intercepted the incoming missiles, while the UAE reported intercepting an Iranian drone over its territorial waters.
Speaking to reporters at the Oval Office on Monday, Trump threatened further action against Tehran.
“We’re going to hit them hard,” Trump told Fox News, as cited by Al Jazeera. “There will be a response.”
He also claimed the Strait of Hormuz was in “extremely good shape,” saying U.S. naval assistance had enabled about 30 ships to pass through the waterway each night.
“We’re taking over. Many, many ships got through last night,” Trump said. “We’ve been averaging 30 ships a night.”
The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global energy route that handled about one-fifth of the world's seaborne energy supplies before the conflict.
Iran Warns of Heavier Response
According to The Guardian, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had targeted U.S. military facilities at Jordan's King Hussein and Al-Azraq air bases in retaliation for the Larak Island strike.
Iranian authorities warned that any country allowing its territory, airspace or facilities to be used for attacks on Iran could also become a target.
In a joint statement, Iran's armed forces said Tehran respected the sovereignty of neighboring countries but “will never tolerate aggression.”
They warned that any further attack would trigger a “much heavier” response and said the United States had “no choice but to leave the region.”
Iran has also disputed Washington's claims that the Strait of Hormuz has been cleared for normal shipping. The IRGC has warned vessels using routes it considers unauthorized that they could face consequences.
The renewed fighting comes after the Trump administration shifted its focus from military operations toward economic pressure and sanctions against Tehran.
Trump has also intensified his criticism of the Iranian government. In a social media post Monday, he described Iran as a “failed nation” and claimed its military and economy had been severely weakened.
“Iran is officially a Failed Nation,” Trump wrote, adding that the country had “no Navy, no Air Force, no currency” and that its leadership was “in total disarray.”
Trump also claimed more than 100,000 protesters had been killed during unrest in Iran. The figure has not been independently verified. Iranian authorities have reported a significantly lower death toll and blamed the unrest on what they described as foreign-backed rioters.
Iran Signals Openness to Talks
Despite the renewed confrontation, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Monday that continuing the war was not in Iran's interest.
Speaking to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan, Pezeshkian said Tehran remained ready to implement a memorandum of understanding with Washington that Pakistan had previously mediated.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a major obstacle to de-escalation. Iran and Oman have reached a verbal agreement on a temporary shipping route, but the arrangement has not restored normal traffic through the waterway.
Former U.S. ambassador to Tunisia Joey Hood said regional countries could help both sides find a way to step back from the conflict.
“It’s going to require countries of the region getting together and finding those creative solutions that would allow both sides to save face and back away from this conflict,” Hood said.
He suggested an Islamic naval coalition led by Pakistan and Turkiye could monitor the strait and reassure Iran that commercial traffic was peaceful.
Such an arrangement, he said, could give Tehran a way to step back “without saying that it gave up its rights to the strait.”
For now, Trump's threat of further military action and Iran's warning of a heavier response have raised fresh concerns that the conflict could escalate again.
US Supreme Court Allows Trump Ballroom Project to Proceed
8 jam lalu
The ruling was backed by five of the court's six conservative justices. US President Donald Trump praised the decision in a post on his Truth Social.
Google Maps Renames Lake Ontario as 'Lake America' in US After Trump Order
1 hari lalu
Google Maps now labels Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for US users after Trump ordered the name change, prompting backlash in Canada.
Russian-American Heads Trump's Planned Caucasus Trade Route
2 hari lalu
A Russian-born businessman heads the investment fund financing the so-called "Trump Route," a planned corridor through Armenia.
Trump Says US, Venezuela Reach 'Biggest Oil Deal in World History'
3 hari lalu
Trump says the US and Venezuela reached a deal over 65 billion barrels of oil reserves, calling it the world's biggest oil deal.
Trump Offers Aid to Nepal After Deadly Flash Floods
4 hari lalu
U.S. President Donald Trump has offered Nepal aid following severe flash floods in Rasuwa district.
Trump Signs Order to Rename Lake Ontario to Lake America
4 hari lalu
Trump's move is the latest in the ongoing rift between the US and Canada. Canadian PM Carney has said nothing will change.
Strait of Hormuz Cleared of All Mines, Says Trump
5 hari lalu
Trump did not provide details about the mine clearance operation at the Strait of Hormuz.
US Economic War Will Fail, Says Iranian President Pezeshkian
5 hari lalu
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian insists economic pressure will not break Tehran following new US sanctions.
Canada Hits Back With Tariffs on More Than 700 US Products
6 hari lalu
Canada imposes retaliatory tariffs on more than 700 US products worth C$27.6 billion as the trade war with Washington escalates.
Trump Threatens 50% Tariff on Canadian Autos, Steel From 2027
7 hari lalu
Trump has announced plans to raise tariffs on Canadian cars, auto parts and steel to 50% from January 1, 2027, escalating the trade dispute.
